The US House of Representatives rejected an attempt to stop President Donald Trump's air war against Iran and to require any military action against the Islamic Republic to be authorized by Congress, Reuters reported.
The agency notes that the decision supports the Republican president's military campaign on the sixth day of the conflict, Reuters reported.
The vote in the House of Representatives, where Republicans control a narrow majority, ended with a score of 219 to 212 votes and was largely along party lines. Two Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, while four Democrats voted against it.
Opponents accused Democrats of voting on the issue only because they oppose Trump, putting Americans at increased risk.
Sponsors of the resolution described it as an attempt to return to Congress the responsibility to authorize wars, as stated in the U.S. Constitution. Supporters said the resolution, by requiring Trump to "appear before Congress for a war authorization," would force him to explain to Americans why the United States is at war and how it can end it.
"This is a war of choice, launched by this administration without authorization, without clearly stated goals or a defined end goal, and without an explanation of how they intend to protect Americans," said the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.).
Just before the resolution was voted on, House members of both parties overwhelmingly passed a measure confirming that "Iran remains the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism."
Reuters noted that the vote would not have ended the conflict even if the House had voted "yes." To take effect, the resolution would have to pass the Senate and muster the two-thirds majority needed to override Trump's expected veto.
The Senate, also tightly controlled by Trump's party, backed his military campaign against Iran in a vote on Wednesday.
Trump and Republicans say Iran poses an "imminent threat" and so the action is legal.
Under existing rules, military action not authorized by Congress must be stopped within 60 days, giving the Trump administration a deadline of the end of April before seeking congressional approval.
Israel is moving to the next phase of its attacks on Iran, the military said tonight, DPA reported.
"In this phase, we will further destroy the regime and its military capabilities," said the head of Israel's General Staff. Eyal Zamir's headquarters.
According to him, since Saturday morning, the Israeli Air Force has carried out about 2,500 strikes in Iran in the now-completed “surprise attack phase“, achieved air superiority and destroyed more than 60% of the ballistic missile launchers.
According to the Israeli military, hundreds of these launchers have been hit. Zamir further explained that this is saving lives in Israel. However, he warned that the danger was not yet over: “Every missile is deadly and poses a threat.“
Warning sirens sounded repeatedly in Israel during the day after an Iranian missile attack.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it had again killed several members of the Iranian leadership in attacks in Iran.
Zamir said that the aim of the war was to secure the existence and future of Israel and announced “additional surprises” in future operations in Iran, without providing details.
More than 4,000 civilian buildings have been destroyed in US and Israeli bombings in Iran, the Red Crescent said today, quoted by DPA.
The Iranian Red Crescent posted on the Telegram app that 3,646 residential buildings and 528 businesses had been hit. The humanitarian organization said 14 health facilities, including hospitals and rehabilitation centers, were also hit. Three hospitals were forced to suspend operations as a result of the attacks, it said.
On the sixth day of the war, witnesses in the capital Tehran reported a decrease in the intensity of missile attacks compared to earlier in the week. Videos on social media showed damage to buildings in residential areas of the city of nearly 15 million people.
Sports facilities in Tehran were also targeted in the US-Israeli missile attacks. A small stadium in the city center was destroyed. According to unconfirmed reports, military equipment was stored there.